Today in High Prairie! See what’s happening today in town, celebrity birthdays, local history, world history and your daily horoscope. Please send your birthdays and community events to southpeacenews@hotmail.com and/or spneditor@outlook.com.

What’s Happening Today – August 9, 2024

10 a.m. – Prayer Shawl knitting at HP St. Mark’s Anglican Church Parish Hall. Everyone welcome!

1:30 p.m. – Enjoy trump & whist games at the HP Golden Age Centre, 4824-53 Ave.

6:30 p.m. – Fresh Air Cinema at Peace River Glenmary School (track).

7:30 p.m. – Darts Night at HP Legion Hall. Come out and enjoy the fun!

7:30 p.m. – High Prairie AA chapter meets at HP Church of the Nazarene.

Today’s Celebrity Birthdays – August 9, 2024

1653 – John Oldham, English Poet

1776 – Amedeo Avogadro, Avogadro’s Law Founder

1819 – William Morton, First Dentist to use Ether

1899 – Pamela Travers, Mary Poppins Series Author

1905 – Leo Genn, Moby Dick Actor

1913 – Barry Mills, Mills Brothers Singer

1918 – Robert Aldrich, Dirty Dozen Director

1927 – Robert Shaw, Jaws Actor

1927 – Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon Author

1938 – Rod Laver, Australian Tennis Pro

1939 – Billy Henderson, Spinners Rocker

1943 – Ken Norton, US Heavyweight Boxing Champ

1944 – Smokey Bear, UP Forest Service Icon

1950 – Chris Haney, Trivial Pursuit Inventor

1963 – Whitney Houston, Bodyguard Actress/Singer

1964 – Brett Hull, Dallas Star

1968 – Gillian Anderson, X-Files Actress

1983 – Ashley Johnson, Growing Pains Actress

This Day in Local History – August 9, 2024

Aug. 9, 1962: The Independents lead the High Prairie Intra-Town Men’s Fastball League with a 3-1-0 record.

Aug. 9, 1965: The Pioneer Threshermans Association at Triangle near High Prairie holds a Field Day. This event is later moved to Canada Day and becomes an annual event.

Aug. 9, 1969: Herman Burback opens Utility Equipment in High Prairie.

Aug. 9, 1971: The bridge at Grouard is closed for four days due to repair work and the installation of reinforced concrete.

Aug. 9, 1972: South Peace News reports the High Prairie Playboys place first in the High Prairie Men’s Fastball League standings with a 16-4 record.

Aug. 9, 1983: Three adults and one child die in an accident at Slave Lake which eventually prompts a decision to close North Country School in Joussard. All adults were actively involved at the school.

Aug. 9, 1984: Lesser Slave Lake MLA Larry Shaben announces tenders close for the construction of a new liquor store on the former Ike’s Modern Motors site. Work begins Aug. 27.

Aug. 9, 1992: High Prairie Dolphins swimmers win 12 races at a swim meet in Peace River. Owen Smith wins three races to lead the club.

Aug. 9, 1999: Rod Griffiths accepts the job as High Prairie’s new town manager.

Aug. 9, 1999: The Town of High Prairie’s priority and policy committee discusses a possible curfew.

Aug. 9, 1999: The Town of High Prairie’s priority and policy committee decides to rejoin Family and Community Support Services.

Aug. 9, 2000: High Prairie’s new $229,947.09 fire truck arrives.

Aug. 9, 2001: Elmer Anderson retires the last 19 Whitefish Lake batters to lead the Peavine Rangers to a 4-2 win and force a fifth and deciding game in High Prairie and District Men’s Fastball League play.

Aug. 9, 2006: South Peace News reports on fire blight affecting trees in High Prairie. The lethal bacterial disease affects apple, crabapple and mountain ash trees.

Aug. 9, 2006: The M.D. of Big Lakes council calls the recent completion of improvements north of the Plains Marketing plant a “waste of money’.

Aug. 9, 2006: The M.D. of Big Lakes council hears their bid for the police college training facility does not make the shortlist and fails. They decide to throw their support behind Lac la Biche’s bid.

Aug. 9, 2007: Regular season play concludes in the High Prairie Men’s Fastball League with the Peavine Rangers placing first with a 12-4 record. The Driftpile Titans place fifth with an impressive 11-5 record but are out of the playoffs after losing a tiebreaker. The top five clubs are separated by only two points.

Aug. 9, 2012: Over 100 people attend a public meeting to hear details of the Alberta Municipal Affairs’ report on town council. The scathing report on the town’s operations orders that 28 directives must be completed by Dec. 31 with 69 total recommendations. It also recommends that CAO Keli Tamaklo be released. “I’m being hard on council because they deserve it,” says the report’s writer, Harold Johnsrude. Mayor Rick Dumont, who later resigns saying the ability to govern is crippled, is accused of bullying staff in the report. Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths writes council telling them the town is managed improperly.

Aug. 9, 2014: Former High Prairie resident Winnifred Beatrice Cox celebrates her 100th birthday in Calgary with family and friends.

Aug. 9, 2014: David Temple and Martina Yoon win the Sir George Bennett Senior’s Open Golf Tournament while Austin Guttinger and Allyson Gauchier win the Frank Carson Memorial Junior Open.

Aug. 9, 2015: Austin Guttinger fires a 77 to win the High Prairie Frank Carson Memorial Junior Open Golf Tournament boy’s title. Brooke Gauchier wins the girl’s title.

Aug. 9, 2015: Vince Cunningham and Hazel Laboucan win the men’s and women’s titles at the Sir George Bennett Senior Open Golf Tournament in High Prairie.

Aug. 9, 2016: High Prairie town council agrees to turn over ownership of the High Prairie Airport to Big Lakes County.

Aug. 9, 2017: Organizers of the Alberta 55-Plus Games scheduled for High Prairie on Sept. 14-17 say they need more volunteers and sponsorship.

Aug. 9, 2017: Big Lakes County joins a group of Alberta northwestern municipalities opposing the province’s efforts to protect land to protect caribou. The move would have an adverse affect on the oil and gas industry by limiting drilling.

Aug. 9, 2017: Big Lakes County gives first two readings to a bylaw to lower the speed limit in all hamlets to 40 km/hr.

Aug. 9, 2017: Big Lakes County enters into a lease agreement with the Grouard Community Association paving the way for an outdoor skating rink to be built this coming winter.

Aug. 9 and Aug. 11, 2017: IDA Pharmacy opens in High Prairie at two locations.

Aug. 9, 2018: Vince Cunningham, George Dashkewytch and Brian Bliss win the Sir George Bennett Seniors’ Golf Championship at the High Prairie Golf Course. Cunningham wins in the Men’s 50-59 Flight, Dashkewytch wins in the Men’s 60-69 Flight, and Bliss in the Men’s 70 Plus Flight. Judy Hamelin wins in the Women’s 50-59 Flight and Hazel Laboucan in the Women’s 60-69 Flight.

This Day in World History – August 9, 2024

  681 – Bulgaria is founded as a Khanate on south bank of the Danube.

1173 – Construction of the Tower of Pisa begins; takes 200 years to complete.

1483 – Opening of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

1778 – Captain James Cook reaches Cape Prince of Wales, Bering Strait.

1803 – First horses arrive in Hawaii.

1803 – Steam paddle-boat tested on the River Seine, France. It sinks.

1810 – Napoleon annexes Westphalia as part of the First French Empire.

1815 – Napoleon Bonaparte exiled on St. Helena.

1842 – US-Canada border defined by Webster-Ashburton Treaty.

1859 – Otis Tuft patents the first passenger elevator in the US.

1898 – Rudolf Diesel obtains patent for diesel engine.

1907 – First Boy Scout camp concludes in England.

1910 – Alva Fisher patents electric washing machine.

1917 – Canadian Parliament passes the Compulsory Military Act.

1941 – Winston Churchill reaches Newfoundland for talks with FDR.

1944 – Smokey Bear debuts as spokesman for fire prevention.

1945 – US drops second atomic bomb “Fat Man” on Nagasaki.

1965 – Singapore separates from Malaysia and gains its independence.

1966 – The Beatles release their “Yellow Submarine” single.

1974 – Richard Nixon resigns as US President; VP Gerald Ford takes over.

1977 – NHL refuses merger of six WHA clubs.

1979 – English seaside resort Brighton gets first  British nude beach.

1988 – Edmonton Oilers trade Wayne Gretzky to LA Kings.

1988 – Just 1 day after 8/8/88 NY’s daily number is 888.

1999 – Russian President Boris Yeltsin fires his entire cabinet.

2017 – North Korea says it plans to fire rockets on US territory Guam.

Today’s Horoscopes – August 9, 2024

Aries [March 21 – April 20] – A long-awaited event, perhaps a wedding or christening, could have you moved to tears! As you are naturally a person who does not like to show your feelings, you might need to be by yourself until the urge to cry has passed! This should be a very happy day for you as well, and your contentment could seem almost too good to be true! Even if you were not able to attend in person, it is real! Relax and enjoy it!

Taurus [April 21 – May 21] – An intense, emotional dream could move you so powerfully you awaken with the odd sense that the dream was real! Write it down! Maybe it is! Efforts to overcome obstacles and advance in business could finally pay off! You could walk around in a daze asking yourself if it really has happened! It has! Make the most of it, and do not be afraid to show your feelings!

Gemini [May 22 – June 21] – Emotional discussions with your partner could move you to tears!. You have overcome many difficulties and probably reached a new understanding! Any relationship or friendship started or advanced now shows promise of being strong and lasting! Your basic inclination will be to control your feelings, but do not be afraid to show them! It is OK at times like this!

Cancer [June 22 – July 22] – Today you may feel the need to do a lot of work around your home! Perhaps you expect future visitors or simply want to spruce up the place for yourself! You may need to pace yourself and not try to do everything at once! You could run into difficulties that require help from others who may be unavailable! Control the urge to steamroll through your chores!

Leo [July 23 – Aug. 23] – Some intense communications with a close friend or lover could reveal wonderful things about your relationship! Perhaps you have more in common than you thought! Maybe your fears and insecurities prove groundless! As a result, you two could grow closer and discover a new mutual sense of purpose! Enjoy the positive feelings that come your way and have a great day!

Virgo [Aug. 24 – Sept. 22] – Ancient social traditions could be a powerful part of today! An emotional event concerning your family, perhaps planning a wedding or other milestone, could have you feeling especially moved! In the rush of events, you will probably keep a tight rein on any expression of emotion! Keeping up appearances could be more important to you than usual today! Do it, but also be yourself!

Libra [Sept. 23 – Oct. 23] – You usually place a lot of importance on self-control! Today this skill will come in handy when you receive some wonderful news that might otherwise move you to tears! Do not carry it too far! Under these circumstances, it is OK to let it out a bit! Your hard work and dedication to your career are paying off! News about possible advancement could arrive! It is a very eventful day!

Scorpio [Oct. 24 – Nov. 22] – Expect some great news regarding money, possibly professional advancement! You may have to control the urge to break into tears of joy! A female friend could be going through some heavy changes and might want your support! Your best course of action would be to listen rather than offer advice! You may have to try hard to control yourself, however! The situation could defy all reason!

Sagittarius [Nov. 23 – Dec. 21] – Happy events involving a close female relative might have you feeling emotional! A marriage or birth could be involved! Your projects, particularly those with other people, could proceed well despite difficulties you have had to overcome! The results could move you to tears! You may feel the need to control yourself, but do not be afraid to show how you feel!

Capricorn [Dec. 22 – Jan. 20] – Your telepathy and intuition are at an all-time high today! You should find it easier than usual to tune in to others’ thoughts and feelings! It might be a good idea to control your reactions! Do not tell others what you are picking up unless you are sure they want to know! Your imagination and creative abilities are also operating at a very high level! Make the most of them!

Aquarius [Jan. 21 – Feb. 18] – Today a deep concern for others’ feelings could have you lending a sympathetic ear to those in need of some understanding! It is more important to listen than talk now, even though your practicality might want to express itself! Your affairs should go smoothly, bringing you a lot of satisfaction! Do not be surprised if you shed a few tears of joy at some point!

Pisces [Feb. 19 – March 20] – Today you might complete a difficult project that is important to your career! Acknowledgement of your dedication and hard work could find you more emotionally overwhelmed than makes you comfortable! You may have to make a special effort to control your feelings! You have moved mountains to get where you are, so it is nice to be recognized! You deserve to celebrate tonight!